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One of Detroit's leading journalists, Free Press opinion editor Stephen Henderson, joins the parade of men shamed by work-related misconduct with women.
The newspaper fired the 2014 Pulitzer winner on Friday for "inappropriate behavior . . .with female colleagues dating back several years," the paper posts in news that stunned its staff. "Shocking news," tweets investigative reporter Matthew S. Dolan of the Freep.
Stephen Henderson was on NBC's "Meet the Press" three months ago.
No specific misdeeds are cited. Editor and Vice President Peter Bhatia announced the abrupt dismissal of the paper's nearly two-decade employee, whose title was managing director of opinion and commentary.
"The decision was made after an internal investigation was conducted which uncovered credible allegations that Mr. Henderson’s behavior has been inconsistent with company values and standards," says the news article, which has no byline.
Henderson tells The Detroit News he's "stunned," responding to a Facebook message from Kim Kozlowski:
"I dedicated 18 years to this newspaper over three decades, all of it performing at the highest level. I may have more to say on this later, but for now there is much other work to be done here in the city of Detroit."
The Freep's editor, who took office less than four months ago, says in its article:
"This is a devastatingly sad day for us at the Free Press. Stephen is a magnificent journalist and a treasured colleague who has done so much for Detroit.
"Out of respect for the privacy of the women involved and Stephen, we have no further details to share."
The Detroiter receives his Pulitzer Prize citation at Columbia University in New York three years ago.
There's no word on how many women complained or whether all still are at the paper.
The influential Detroiter, who turned 47 three weeks ago, also has hosted "Detroit Today" each weekday morning on WDET since 2015. The public radio station comments on his status in this response to Crain's Detroit Business:
"Based on the information currently available, WDET does not see cause to terminate Stephen Henderson's contract at this time," General Manager Michelle Srbinovich told Crain's in an email.
"WDET will conduct an independent, station-wide investigation to ensure that our staff has the opportunity to share their concerns and report any incidents that require further examination. Any situation that compromises university policies will be dealt with swiftly and decisively."
WDET producer Laura Weber Davis says that he'll be on the air Monday morning. "I will be proud to be producing that program with him as the host, as I am every day," she posts on Facebook. "I am proud of the work we do together."
The native Detroiter, who graduated from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy and the University of Michigan in 1992, lives downtown and is raising a young son and daughter.
His former employer says an internal inquiry began after a Dec. 6 press conference by Detroit pastor W.J. Rideout III, who mentioned Henderson as one of three local media figures accused by women of sexual harassment. "The Free Press immediately launched an investigation," it says in the article, "and subsequently uncovered examples of inappropriate behavior by Henderson with female colleagues dating back several years."
The dismissal 10 days before Christmas is so hasty that Henderson still has a four-paragraph bio page on the newspaper's site. "Henderson's work has been honored with more than a dozen national awards," it says.
His Pulitzer Prize, journalism's top honor, was awarded three years ago in the commentary category "for his [2013] columns on the financial crisis facing his hometown, written with passion and a stirring sense of place, sparing no one in their critique." He received a $10,000 prize.
More recently, Henderson has been promoting the Tuxedo Project, which turned his west-side childhood home into a writers' residence and literary arts center at 7122 Tuxedo in partnership with Marygrove College and the John L. and James S. Knight Foundation.
His career includes editorial writing at the Chicago Tribune and Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky, five yeras as a Supreme Court correspondent at the Knight Ridder chain and time as the Baltimore Sun's deputy editorial page editor.
Related coverage:
Off the Air: WXYZ Benches Anchor Malcom Maddox During Sex Harassment Inquiry, Dec. 6
Stephen Henderson gave Stephen Colbert a hometown hoodie on Comedy Central in July 2013.
